Unanswered
by Snowy the Sane Fangirl
Summary: Faramir muses on the choices his brother made. Written for the July 2013 Teitho challenge "Dialogue" where it did not place.


Unanswered

Summary: After learning of his brother's actions shortly before his death, Faramir has one final question to ask Boromir.

Disclaimer: _The Lord of the Rings_ and all associated material is the intellectual property of J.R.R. Tolkien

Purpose: Teitho challenge July 2013: Dialogue. A short piece on siblings and their accompanying enigmas.

Rating: G

Characters: Faramir, Boromir, Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn

Genre: Angst/Family

Book-verse, with borrowed movie-verse elements

A/N: The intended timing for this story is at night, after the hobbits have gone to sleep but before Gollum is captured. It could be any time before Faramir meets Éowyn, though. Also, it has been some time since I have read the chapters surrounding the situation here, so I'm sorry if I got some things wrong.

Later A/N: This story was written after my older brother did something particularly confusing in what seemed an unsavory manner at the time. I was, needless to say, confused, and wrote this to vent my feelings.

"Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother."

~2 Thessalonians 3:15

"_Night oft brings news to near kindred_, 'tis said. Boromir was my brother."

~Faramir, _The Lord of the Rings_, Book Four, Chapter Five, _The Window on the West_, J.R.R. Tolkien

"Oh, Boromir. I possess little doubt that you have passed from this life, since I perceive no reason to disbelieve the vision the night brought me of the vessel containing your body. When I saw this I took to heart the assurance that you died with honor; surely those were Orc weapons laid at your feet and thus you must have fallen in battle against them. Still I shall believe it. How else could a lord of Gondor fall, save beleaguered by foes, sword in hand? And how else could I bear to dream of you dying?

"And now these two strangers, wanderers in this land and halflings, have related their tale to me. Should I feel surprise that you chose to become a member of this Company they speak of? I do not. You pride, if nothing else, would constrain you to join it. And that decision I fully support. Such an important mission deserves Gondor's aid. Yet I wonder if these were your only motivations. Other things the halflings have spoken of also.

"This Ring the one called Frodo bears, Isildur's bane; the one known as Samwise, Frodo's servant, hinted that you tried to take it by force. Frodo fears to speak of his last meeting with you. Oh Boromir, this account grieves me more than your death does. I have some experience with this evil thing now, and thus I understand its lure. It whispered to me of Gondor and claimed she would fall unless I took the accursed thing for my own. No doubt it said much the same to you. Such is the most effective manner in which to attack us, Boromir, for our loyalty to Gondor is where both our strength and our weakness lie.

"And herein lies our difference as well as our sameness, for I felt the call of the Ring and denied it, whereas you took some ill action of which the halflings fear to speak; and indeed, I also fear to hear of it. And therein lies the question I would ask you, could I but speak to you once more..."

"Oh Faramir, I know the nature of your question. Why do you ask this?"

"Who is there? Show yourself!"

"Do you not know my voice?"

"Boromir? How are you here? Are you not dead?"

"Do not question it, little brother; merely understand that I am here, though I have indeed fallen in battle as you have surmised. And I come with a warning: please, Faramir, please do not succumb to the same trap of evil that I fell prey to. You must understand what a danger the Ring is. With its words of temptation it led me to commit acts I never would have contemplated outside its influence. Indeed, that is the very reason I died. How could I have lived with the shame, knowing I had turned on a companion - and one smaller and weaker than myself as well - when my duty was to protect him?"

"I shall take your warnings to heart, Boromir, for I feel the call of the Ring even now, after I have already denied it, and promised the halflings safe passage and what aid is within my power."

"Faramir, you must be strong. The Ring took me when I was weak because I felt there was no hope. There is hope. He is coming. The King is coming. He promised me that Minas Tirith would not fall."

"And you believe he can keep such a promise?"

"What happened to my trusting little brother who used to look forward to nothing but the return of the King? The one I used to catch on the wall-top in the evening, waiting for him to come riding out of the sunset: the man you trusted would bring the end of the War with him? But yes, if anyone can, it is him. One must meet him to understand, but you will. One day soon you will meet him upon some field of battle and you will understand when you see the determination in his eyes, and feel the loyalty he inspires in all good men. I did not see the hope he brought until it was too late. And my pride refused to admit his claim for many days."

"Your news lightens my heart, Boromir, though already I knew it in part. I shall eagerly watch for this man's coming."

"My time here is up, Faramir. Once more I impress upon you, though you do not seem to need the warning: do not give in! The Ring would destroy you and all you hold dear should you claim it. But I must be honest, I have little fear that you will. Now, it is time for me to depart."

"Boromir, wait!"

"Farewell, little brother."

"Boromir - ah, you are gone. But if you can still hear me, then I have one last thing to say to you; I do not understand. You had no hope, you say. I have had little enough for some time now. Our situations are quite similar. Faced with nearly the same choice, we chose differently, and yours was the wrong decision. Oh Boromir, I must ask this question, though I expect no answer.

"Why did you do it? Why?"


End file.
